V.622G4 
1893 



X'.rig^;*:?^'-;;: 



HiSTORIt 



Poent on 33ernton 




10GRAPH!( 



GEOGRAPHICAL 



j^isriD 



HISTORICAL 

POEM ON VERMONT, 




/ 

HATTIE L WILLIAMS, 

WEST BROOKFIELD, YT. 



uuck's book and job trb 
west randolph, vt. 



z%^vy ' 



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33 1 (^ 



'■-I- n , 



VERMONT. 

Vermont, situation in northern degree, 

Reaches just forty-five from below forty-three ; 

Its longitude eastward geographers fix, 

From Washington measured between .three and six. 

Dominion of Canada on the north is the bound, 
On the south the Bay State, Massachusetts, is found ; 
New York on the west with a lake may be seen. 
New Hampshire is east with a river between. 

Vermont, north and south, unless Thompson is wrong, 

Is nearly a hundred and sixty miles long ; 

On Canada line it is ninety miles wide, 

To cross the south end forty-one you must ride. 

Ten thousand square miles do its limits contain, 
Of mountains and valleys with much of Champlain ; 
Tho' portions of soil in this number embraced, 
Are rocky and barren or trackless and waste. 

The people are three hundred forty-two thousand or 

more. 
And count at each census still more than before ; 
For every square mile four and thirty there are, 
And emigrants westward by thousands repair. 

Well named, the Green Mountains in robes evergreen, 
A range through the length of the State may be seen ; 
From the south to the north the Green Mountains 

run high, 
And branch near the center in form of a Y. 



The branch lying east is a gradual swell, 
Where farms are improved and inhabitants dwell ; 
But the principal mountains that run through the State 
Are broken, precipitous, little and great. 

Some portions are rich and with settlements graced, 
And others impassable, rocky and waste ; 
Peaks over four thousand feet high we admire, 
Though some in New York and New Hampshire are 
higher. 

The Frenchman, Champlain, with discovering design, 
Found the lake in the year sixteen hundred and nine ; 
To these Green looking Mountains he gave a French 

name, 
Verd Mont is Green Mountain ; Vermont means the 

same. 

The State in its natural division is seen, 
Of eastern and western, with mountains between ; 
Roads over them pass, three rivers run through, 
Cars through in four places swift courses pursue. 

Of lakes we have many, which mostly are small, 
Champlain being longest and broadest of all ; 
They mirror the scenery of mountains and trees,- 
-And double the charm which the traveler sees. 

Let us visit Champlain, which in beauty extends 
'Twixt Vermont and New York, and in Canada ends : 
One hundred miles long in the State it is seen, 
With a breadth from one-fourth of a mile to fourteen. 



As we sail from Whitehall at the southerly end, 
To the north it will wider and wider extend ; 
If we go to St. Johns, beyond Canada line, 
Many islands we pass and some villages fine. 

Though charming this lake and its scenery appear, 
Sad deeds have been done on its waters, and near ; 
And stories of batde and carnage are told. 
Of savage and civilized and warriors of old. 

Tracing Canada line about half of the way, 
Of Lake Memphremagog we get a survey ; 
In Canada mainly, though partly this side, 
It is thirty miles long and by two or three wide. 

Conne6licut river, the State's eastern bound. 
Flows south till it falls in Long Island Sound ; 
It's origin high in New Hampshire is known,— 
While it washes Vermont 'tis New Hampshire's alone. 

To Indians related in story and name. 
It's scenery is lovely and thrilling it's fame ; 
Where roll it's broad waters fair villages charm. 
And mountain and meadow, of woodland and farm. 

Our soil is well watered with rivers and rills. 
Which run in the valleys and springs in the hills ; 
The rivers in general are lively and small. 
Turning numerous mills and machines as they fall. 

On the east, to Conne6licut river they wind. 
On the west, to Champlain they are mostly inclined : 
Part find the great ocean at Long Island Sound, 
And part the same ocean through Canada round. 



HoDsic river and Battenkill westerly wind, 
From Bennington county the Hudson to find ; 
Pawlet river and Poultney and Castleton fall, 
From the county of Rutland, and meet at Whitehal 

Through RiiUand and Addison counties we trace 
Otter Creek, in its long and northwardly race ; 
Champlain's largest vessels by steam or by gale, 
Eight miles to Vergennes, on its waters can sail. 

Winooski, through Washington, claims in its way, 
All the tribute that streams in the county can pay ; 
Through Chittenden county it comes to its mouth, 
With Chester north of it, Burlington south. 

Not less than five counties Lamoille river claims. 
But mostly the county that borrows it's name ; 
It's race in Orleans county begun, 
In Franklin advanced, and in Chittenden run. 

Missisquoi from Orleans county goes out. 
To Canada northward, then, turning about, 
Franklin county it waters, and, turning again. 
For Canada, north it is stopped by Champlain. 

Barton river and Black river northerly glide. 
To lake Memphremagog, and mingle with Clyde ; 
From the fork of the Y other rivers have found, 
A westerly way through the mountains, or 'round. 

Of the State's eastern border now take a survey, 
And first the Passumpsic we notice, that way ; 
Caledonia county this river divides, 
Giving name to it's railway as southward it glides. 



Orange county contains of Wells river a share, 
Waits river and Ompompanoosuc are tliere ; 
VVliite river and Black river through Windsor run, 
The Quechee, between them, in Sherburne begun. 

Williams' partly, and Saxton's, in Windham we find, 
And see it's West river south-easterdly wind ; 
Deerfield river and Green river southward descend ; 
To wash Massachusetts, and there have an end. 

We now speak of counties and show how they lie, 
In order arranged round the Green Mountain Y ; 
Our civil divisions make counties fourteen, 
Towns over two hundred and forty are seen. 

Between the Y's stem and the State's eastern bound 
Windham county, Windsor and Orange are found ; 
Caledonia chiefly and Essex between. 
This bound and a branch of the Y may be seen. 

To the west of the stem our position we change. 
Here Bennington, Rutland and Addison range ; 
And Chirtenden county and Franklin extend, 
Along by the lake to the Y's northern end. 

Grand Isle, in the lake, reaching Canada's bound. 
And mostly consisting of islands, is found ; 
In the fork of the Y we see Washington's soil. 
And Orleans county, and most of Lamoille. 

No cities we boast, except three, very small, 
But villages grow in the towns, nearly all ; 
Shire-towns are most of them places of rank, 
Containing a Bench, and, in general, a Bank. 



Windham county has justice dispensed at Newfa7ie, 
Windsor's people due justice at Woodstock obtain ; 
Orange County's fine Court House at Chelsea is seen, 
Caledonia's judges at St. Johusbiiry convene. 

In Essex, north-east, reaching Canada's bound, 
May Guildhall, the place to seek justice, be found ; 
Half-shires are in Bennington county, for there 
Does Bennington justice with Manchester share. 

Rutland county's tribunals at Rutland decide. 
At Middlebury, Addison's causes are tried ; 
And Burlington, like a fine city we view. 
Where justice is rendered to Chittenden due. 

Franklin county's shire-town vvill St. Albans be found, 
Grand Isle's is North Hero with water all 'round ; 
A Court House we see in Hyde Park, for Lamoille, 
And Orleans county's on Newport's fine soil. 

MoNTPELiER has beautiful buildings, we own, 
As Washington county's shire-town it is known • 
It's towering capitol, handsome and great. 
Proclaims it the capital town of the State. 

Other towns in the State are distinguished for rank, 
And two we will name on Conne6licut's bank ; 
At Windsor our convi6l§ in prison remain, 
An asylum in Brattleboro heals the insane. 

Vermont one hundred fifty years past was a wilde. 
Where savages roamed and no villages smiled ; 
A part of New Hampshite the country was deemed 
And much for it's power of produ6lion esteemed. 



Though it's valleys invited the farmer to come, 
Few civilized people dared make it their home ; 
For dangers were many, the tomahawk feared, 
Till seventeen hundred and sixty appeared. 

While the power of the French over Canada stood, 
Indians followed our rivers on errands of blood ; 
And the soil that we plow was the warrior's highwav, 
Till the British obtained over Canada sway. 

But rapidly made were the settlements then, 
^^'oods fell and uprose habitations of men ; 

wood, 
Herds grazed vvhere the panther had prowled in the 
And harvests were gathered where forests had stood. 

B. Wentworth, New Hampshire's chief magistrate, 

made 
The grants for the earlier townships surveyed ; 
But Golden, New York's royal governor, claimed 
A right to the Grants,* as the country was named. 

Our fathers endured many hardships and ills, 
To give us these mountains and valleys and hills : 
More hardy than polished, more brave than refined, 
They shrunk from no labor, no danger declined. 

Leaving places more favored, they came tc* prepare. 
In toil and privations, the comforts we share ; 
Smoke curled from log cottages, when they began. 
To fit a wild country for civilized man. 

*The territory of Verment was called the New Hampshire Grants. 



Hard work was before them — the roads were unmade, 
( )ver streams were no bridges, no mills for their aid ; 
A war with the bears and the wolves they must keep : 
'I'nose ruined their corn, these slaughtered their sheep. 

L'nder (Grants from New Hampshire the soil they 

received, 
And fairly they purchased their farms, they believed : 
New York then advanced a bold claim to the lands 
They bought with their money and cleared with their 

hands. 

Indignant, the claim they resisted by force, 
The contest was bitter and long was it's course ; 
The arms of Great Britian they chose to withstand, 
And fight for their freedom as well as their land. 

No legal tribunals were there, it appears, 
No government ruled for a series of years ; 
Decrees of conventions they took for their laws, 
Their danger was union, and freedom their cause. 

Of those who in perils were valiant and great. 
Commanding the army or guiding the State ; 
An Allen, a Warner and Baker we own — 
And Chittenl^en, first of the Governors known. 

In counsel judicious, a patriot true, 
The science of government Chittenden knew ; 
'Twas his the republic's formation to guide, 
.And then it's chief magistrate long to preside. 



Bold Allen was famed in the troubles that •.o;:. 
When the heads of New York and Vermonters were 

foes ; 
Intrepid, u.ipjiished in manners and pen, 
He suited his tim :s, and he guided his men. 

Seth Warner undaunted the dangers withstood. 
An oak in the tempest or rock in the flood : 
And Baker, the mill-wright, his genius could show, 
In leading an enterprise — facing a foe. 

F!y I and three 7's the year may be named, 

\Vhen Vermont's independance was boldly proclaimed, 

And soon our Republic began to be known. 

By a government framed, and by laws of her own. 

Ere long was her coveted government found, 
Extending beyond her original bound ; 
Vermont was enlarged on the left and the right, 
Augmented in numbers and doubled in might. 

'Round much of New York were her boundaries 

traced, 
And more of New Hampshire her limits embraced ; 
Representatives met from the east and the west. 
State laws to ena6l, and consult for the best. 

But now were new bones of contention supplied, 
New York the wide claim, and New Hampshire de- 
nied ; 
Each sister contended for what was her due. 
Till Vermont her too large jurisdiction withdrew. 



While other Republics, the famous thirteen, 
Resisting Great Britian in union were seen ; 
\'ermont was compelled her own stripes to maintain, 
And sought for the boon of the Union in vain. 

New York her young sister's admittance opposed, 
Long holding the door by her influence closed ; 
But changing, the sister was welcomed at last, 
When seventeen hundred and ninety was passed.* 

Well suited our government is to its ends, 
Public peace it promotes, private freedom defends ; 
Such rulors we choose as we like to obey. 
But rather our servants than rulers are they. 

Biennial September ele6lions declare. 
Who the Governor is and the law-makers are ; 
Each town's Representatives then does appear, 
And a Senate of thirty from counties they cheer. 

They meet in two Houses, — co-ordinate these, 
Each House may originate bills, if it please ; 
When a bill in due manner both Houses has passed, 
'Tis a law if the Governor signs it at last. 

Constitutional rules must the rulers abide. 
Giving law to the people with law for a guide ; 
No guards for our liberty better could be. 
If we from abuses of freedom were free. 

Religion established by law, we disclaim, 
But Christians of numerous creeds we can name ; 
Congregational churches are found through the State, 
The Episcopal Methodist number is great. 

* Vermont entered the Union March 4, 1791. 



Not few are the Baptist^s, and Christians they are, 
And Protestant Methodists come for a share ; 
Of Episcopal churches mention is due, 
Reformed Presbyterians number a few. 

Free-will Baptists we find, Unitarians some, 
Universalists more, and some followers of Rome ; 
We add Quakers, or Friends, though the number is 

small. 
And close with Adventists, the newest of all. 

Our Veteran soldiers now stand as the Post, 
And with Veteran Sons form quite a strong host ; 
Good Templars we have against liquor to fight. 
And Juvenile Templars follow on for the right. 

Institutions of learning are multiplied down, 
From colleges high to the schools of each town ; 
Common schools number thousands and colleges 

three, 
And many between of all grades you may see. 

Vermont is with many advantages blest. 
Which they should consider who long for the west ; 
Our lands with rich produ6ls the laborer pay, 
.■\nd cars are now running to bear them away. 

If we cannot raise wheat quite as much as we please, 
Good sugar we make, and much butter and cheese ; 
We have wool in abundance, and with it the power 
To turn it to cash, and the cash into flour. 



14 



Our streams are produ6tive as well as our lands. 
By encouraging labor and aiding our hands ; 
Machinery they move as they traverse each town. 
And fa6lories rise where the rivers go down. 

We have minerals, many of excellent kind, 
Manganese, lead and copper, among them we find : 
Our iron, most useful exhaustless is found. 
And marble and soapstone and granite abound. 

Our climate is healthy, our water is fine, 
California's diggings more valueless sh'ne ; 
More lively our scenery than wide spreading plains. 
And a view ever varied the traveler gains. 

Hope not for relief from your labor and toil, 
By changing your lot to a westerly soil ; 
Since all that you gain in the soil that you choose, 
Bv bodilv vigor relaxing vou lose. 




STATE HOUSE. 



"On the eighth day of November, A. D. 1805, an 
Act was passed by the (ieneral Assembly whereby 
Montpelier was made 'the permanent seat of the Leg- 
islature for holding all of their sessions, provided that 
the town of Montpelier, or individual persons, shall, 
before tiie ist of September, 1808, ereft a suitable 
building therefor, and convey the same to the State.' 
Elijah Paine, Ezra Butler and James Whitelaw were 
appointed a. committee to procure apian of and make 
a location for the building. In pursuance of the A61 
above named, the First State House was ere6leQ and 
first occupied by the Legislature in the fall of 1808. 

The expense of the building was between ^8000 
and $9000, of which the entire sum was paid by the 
citizens of Montpelier and vicinity. Owing to the rap- 
idly increasing population and consequent increased 
want of legislative a6lion, it soon became inadequate 
for the purposes of legislation, and on November 8, 
I S3 2, an a6l was passed by the Legislature, authoriz- 
ing the ere6lion of a Second State House, and diredl- 
ing the governor to ippoint a committee of location 
and a superintendent. The Hons. Samuel C. Crafts, 
Allen Wardner and George T. Hodges were said com- 
mittee, and Hon. Lebbens Edgerton, superintendent 
of building. Under the combined auspices of the 
superintendent and Ammi B. Young, who had been 
appointed archite6l, the work was commenced April 



1 6 



xst, 1833, and, in the fall of 1836, it was occupied by 
the Legislature. It was built at an expense of $132,- 
077.23 of which amount the citizens of Montpelier 
contributed the sum of $15,000. 

In January, 1857, while being put in readiness for 
a session of the Constitutional Convention, about to 
he held, it took fire from a defective heating appa- 
ratus, and in a short time the ruins only designated 
its former location. An extra session of the Legisla- 
ture convened in February following, and on the 27th 
of that month an a6l was approved, authorizing the 
ere6lion of a Third State House, and also dire6ling 
the Governor to appoint a committee of three per- 
sons to plan for rebuilding and repairing. 

It was also made the duty of the Governor to ap- 
point some suitable person to superintend the work. 

The Hons. George P. Marsh, Norman Williams and 
John Porter were appointed such committee. 

The Hon. Thomas E. Powers was made the super- 
intendent, and Thomas W. Silloway the archite6l ; and„ 
in the fall of 1859, the Legislature occupied the pres- 
ent House for the first time. It was built at an ex- 
pense of $148,396, of which $44,446 was contributed 
by citizens of Montpelier. 



J\)e <;oat of f\rrr\$ 
of the State is a landscape of green, occupying 
one-half of the shield ; on the right and left, in 
the background, are high mountains of blue, 
(Mount Mansfield and Camel's Hump as seen 
from Lake Champlain), with a sky of yellow. From 
near the base and reaching nearly to the top of the 
shield, arises a pine tree of the natural color, and be- 
tween ere6l sheaves of yellow, placed bendwise on the 
sinsiter side of the field. 

is a buck's head, of the natural color, cut off and 
placed on a scroll of blue and yellow. 

Ji)e /T\ott:o apd Bad($(?. 
On a scroll beneath the sliield is the motto, "Ver- 
mont, Freedom and Unity." 

Sl^e l/"(?rmor?t<?r's Bad($(^ 

is of two pine branches of the natural color, crossed 
between the shield and scroll. 

5l7(? State Sea! 
consists of the Coat of Arms of the State, including 
the crest, scroll and badge, with the motto in a cir- 
cular border around the same. 



J\)e pia($ of tf?(? State 
consists of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, 
the Union being a field of blue, with a single star of 
white, with the Coat of Arms therein. 

Jl^e Battle places, 

consisting of twenty-four State flags, forty-one United 
States flags and two brigade flags, making sixty- 
seven in number, borne by the soldiers of Vermont 
in the war for the suppression of the Rebellion of 
1 86 1, are tastefully arranged in cases in the vestibule 
of the hall of the House of Representatives, each 
with a tablet of silver, upon which are engraven the 
names of the engagements and battles in which the 
organization bearing them participated. 

J\}<^ Statu<? of ^tl?aQ /^ll<?r>, 
standing in the portico on the left of the front en- 
trance to the State House, by Larkin G. Mead, Jr., 
was eredled in 1861, at an expense of $3000. 

5l?e pi(^]d piee<?5, 
standing in the portico on the right of the front en- 
trance to the State House, were captured from the 
Hessians at the battle of Bennington, August 16, 
1777- 

C^ollec^es ir;) Uerfi^o^t. 
University of Vermont and State Agricultural Col- 
lege, Burlington. University of Vermont, established 



1 791- University of Vermont and State Agricnltnral 
College, established 1865. 

Middlebury College, Middlebury, established 1800. 

Norwich University, Northfield, established and 
located at Norwich in 1S34, removed to Northfield 
in 1866. 

5tate [formal 5<^f?ools. 
At Randolph, established February, 1867. 
At Johnson, established February, 1867. 
At Castleton, established August, 1867. 

5T/^T^ i|VSTi5U5ioi^s. 

Vermont State Prison, Windsor, established 1S07. 

Vermont House of Correftion, Rutland, estab- 
lished 1878. 

Vermont Reform School, Vergennes, established at 
Waterbury 1865, removed to Vergennes 1865. 

Vermont Asylum for the Insane, Brattleboro and 
Waterbury. Established at Brattleboro 1834, at 
^Vaterbury 1891. 



COUNTIES. 



Addison, 

Bennington, 

Caledonia, 

Chittenden, 

Essex, 

Franklin, 

Grand Isle, 



Lamoille, 

Orange, 

Orleans, 

Rutland, 

Washington, 

Windham, 

Windsor. 



TOWNS. 



AUUiSUll 

Addison, 


New Haven, 


Bridport, 


Orwell, 


Bristol, 


Panton, 


Cornwall, 


Ripton, 


Ferrisburgh, 


Salisbury, 


Goshen, 


Shore ham. 


("rranville. 


Starksboro, 


Hancock, 


Vergennes, 


Leicester. 


Waltham, 


Lincoln, 


Weybridge, 


Middlebury, 


Whiting. 


Monkton, 




Benni 


ngton 


Arlington, 


Rupert, 


Benningtc»n, 


Sandgate, 


Dorset, 


Searsburgh, 


Glastenhury, 


Shaftsbury, 


Landgrove, 


Stamford, 


Manchester, 


Sunderland, 


Peru, 


Windhall, 


Pownal, 


Woodford. 


Readsboro, 




Caled 


Ionia. 


Barnet, 


Ryegate, 


Burke, 


Shefifield, 


Danville, 


St. Johnsbury 


(jroton, 


Stannard, 


Hardvvick, 


Sutton, 


Kirby, 


Walden, 


Lyndon, 


Waterford, 


Newark, 


Wheelock. 


Peach am. 





Chittenden. 


Avery's Gore, 


Jericho, 


Buel's Gore, 


Milton, 


Bolton, 


Richmond, 


Burlington, 


Shelburne, 


Charlotte, 


South Burlington 


Colchester, 


St. George, 


Essex, 


Underhill, 


Hinesburgh, 


VVestford, 


Huntington, 


Williston. 


Ess 


sex. 


Avery's Gore, 


Granby, 


Averill, 


Guildhall, 


Bloomfield, 


Lemington, 


Brighton, 


Lewis, 


Brunswick, 


Lunenburgh, 


Canaan, 


Maidstone, 


Concord, 


Norton, 


East Haven, 


Vi6lory. 


Ferdinand, 




Fran 


klin. 


Bakersfield, 


Georgia, 


Berkshire, 


Highgate, 


Enosburgh, 


Montgomery, 


Fairfax, 


Richford, 


Fairfield, 


Sheldon, 


Fletcher, 


St. Albans, 


Franklin, 


Swanton. 


Grand 


Isle. 


Alburgh, 


North Hero, 


Grand Isle, 


South Hero. 


Isle La Motte, 







Lamoille. 




Eelvidere, 






Johnson, 


Cambridge, 






Morristown, 


Eden, 






Stowe, 


Elmore, 






VVaterville, 


Hyde Park, 






Wolcott. 




Orange. 




Bradford,, 






Strafford, 


Braintree, 






Thetford, 


Brookfield. 






Topsham, 


Chelsea, 






Tunbridge, 


Corinth, 






Vershire, 


Fairlee, 






Washington, 


Newbury. 






West Fairlee, 


Orange, 






Willianistown 


Randolph. 










Orleans. 




Albany, 






Holland, 


Barton, 






Irasburgh, 


Brownington.. 






Jay, 


Charleston, 






Lowell, 


Coventry, 






Morgan, 


Craftsbury, 






Newport, 


Derby, 






Troy, 


Glover, 






Westfield, 


Greensboro, 






Westmore. 




Rutland. 




Benson, 






Pawlet, 


Brandon, 






Pittsfield, 


Castleton, 






Pittsford, 


Chittenden, 






Poultney, 


Clarendon, 






Pro6lor, 



Danby, 
Fair Haven, 
Hubbardton, 
Ira, 

Meiidon, 
Middletown, 
Mount Holly, 
Mount I'abor, 



Rutland, 

Sherburne, 

Shewsbury, 

Sudbury, 

Tinmouth, 

Wallingford, 

Wells, 

West Haven. 

West Rutland. 



Washington. 



Barre, 

Berlin, 

Cabot, 

Calais, 

Duxbury, 

F^ast Montpelier, 

Fayston, 

Harris Gore, 

Marshfield, 

Middlesex, 



Montpelier, 

Mo re town, 

Northfield, 

Plainfield, 

Roxbury, 

Waitsfield, 

Warren, 

Waterbury, 

Woodbury, 

Worcester. 



Windham, 



Athens, 

Brattleboro, 

Brookline, 

Dover, 

Dummerston, 

Grafton, 

Guilford, 

Halifax, 

Jamaica, 

Londonderry, 

Marlboro, 

Nevvfane, 



Putney, 

Rockingham, 

Somerset, 

Stratton, 

Townshend, 

Vernon, 

VVardsboro, 

Westminster, 

Whitingham, 

\Vilmington, 

Windham. 



24 



Windsor. 



Andover, 

Baltimore, 

I^rnard, 

Bethel, 

Bridgewater, 

Cavendish, 

Chester, 

Hartford, 

Hartland, 

Ludlow, 

Norwich, 

Plymouth. 



Pomfret, 

Reading, 

Rochester, 

Royalton, 

Sharon, 

Springfield, 

Stockbridge, 

Weathersfield, 

Weston, 

West Windsor, 

Windsor, 

Woodstock. 




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